Washington County Library will be hosting six artists and activists this summer in a powerful new social activism series for teens.

There is a growing movement of teen activists who are changing how and what it means to express themselves and enact change. Through this series, teens can explore different methods of self-expression – including design, spoken word, dance, and film making – and ways to raise awareness for issues they are passionate about.

During the series, a diverse set of Minnesota artists will lead workshops at various library branch locations.

• Artist and teacher Lisa Arnold will teach participants to create meaningful poster and sticker designs with social justice themes.

• See More Perspective, a hip-hop artist and spoken word poet, will teach participants about the cultural art form of handstyle in creating graffiti.

• Guante, a poet, educator, activist, author, and TEDx speaker, will use poetry and storytelling to help participants cultivate their own agency and power.

• MN Joe Tran will introduce participants to the history of breaking and the basic five elements of the dance: toprock, go-downs, footwork, power moves, and freezes.

• In workshops with Merit Thursday, participants will learn about storyboarding, filming, lighting, and editing, and will collaborate with Merit to create a work that defies stereotypical LGBTQ+ narratives.

• Deacon Warner, a documentary filmmaker and youth media instructor, will show how youth can use creative digital storytelling to explore issues in their local communities.

The full calendar of events, locations, and additional information about each workshop can be found at WashCoLib. link/Activism. Registration is required to attend.